Sep 13, 2008

Every ISA arrest is a political decision to safeguard the interest of the ruling elite. These arrest has nothing to do with the security of the country. The only security these arrest guarantees is the security of the ruling elite.

This is not new in Malaysian politics and UMNO is not new to this game. The arrest ofMalaysia Today editor Raja Petra Kamaruddin, Sin Chew Daily journalist Tan Hoon Cheng and Member of Parliament Theresa Kok and many more which may follow is yet another last resort to safe a corrupt Government in its finals days in office.

In previous encounters, the people are divided according to race and religion and this makes the job of the ruling party easy. March 8 and the Permatang Pauh elections results has shown that race based politics do not seem to win the hearts of the young people, as well as it has been rejected by the majority of the voters.

The wounded UMNO and its wounded allies will try everything to cling to power.This latest desperate attempt by UMNO to be in power is enough reason why it is time to replace them. It is now the right time for parties like GERAKAN and PPP who claim that they are against the ISA to make a stand and leave Barisan National.

The moment has come for all of us to make and take a stand. The ruling and corrupt BN elites is going to use all its resources to clamp down but we have the numbers and the motivation and now we need the courage to fight back.

We face an imminent economic crisis, the working class face raising inflation and further cuts to their wages and benefits. BN and the ruling capitalist classes want us to forget this and create a climate of fear. Create a climate, which will ensure we remain docile while they continue to rule us. It is time we put back our agenda â�� the agenda of the workers and the common people.

Great movements in history are not determined by dozens of people but by the mass movement willing to bring about a change. It is time we unite and mobilize the forces for change. Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM) would stand together with our clenched fist and we are determined to defend and defeat the onslaught from UMNO and its allies.